Rubbing machine



Marca 3, 1936. E. 1 TORRISON 2,032,382

` RUBBING MACHINE Filed Nov. 27, 1934 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICEv RUBBING MACHINE i Edward L. Torrison, San Francisco, Calif.

Application November 27, 1934, Serial No. 754,959 16 claims. (c1. 51ivm I'his invention relates to a rubbing machine. 'I'he primary object of the invention is to provide a machine wherein oscillating movement is utilized in connection with a flexible body to create a rubbing motion on a (flexible contact shoe,for surfacing, polishing, or otherwise finishing a surface, without any reaction or strain on the hand of the operator.

Another object of this invention is to provide 'a rubbing machine which is highly useful and simple in construction. Convenience of arrangement, lightness and comparative inexpense of manufacture are further objects which have been v borne in mind in the production and development l5 of the invention.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements an-d combinations of the several devices and parts, as Well as in the details of thev construction thereof without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following specification, and as defined in the following claims; lhence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the said devicel and parts as described in the said specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. f

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of my rubbing machine. v

Figure-2 is a sectional plan view of my rubbing machine, the section ,being taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

. lIn carrying out my invention I make use of a holder or handle 5 in the form of a hollow casing with a neck 6 ,for the usual flexible drive shaft connection '1. The casing may be vertical, or

the neck- 6 may be extended at an angle, as-

shown, to facilitate gripping and handling of the device. On the bottom of the holder 5 is a flange y s to whin iatter yis, bolted a rigid'pmte e. A resiliently flexible body, such as a soft rubber cushion is vulcanized to the underside of the sand paper or abrasive, or soft polishing material as it may be required in a desired treatment of a surface to be finished.

To the inside face of the pad I3 is riveted, or otherwise suitably secured, the annular flange 5 I1 of a vertical journal shaft I8. At the lower end of the shaft I8 is bearing shoulder I9 on which rests a rotor 2|. The rotor 2| consists of a metal cylinder or drum. A bore 22 in rotor 2| extends from its bottom upwardly toa. point 10 spaced from the top of the rotor 2|, and fits over the stub shaft I8 so that the latter forms the axis of rotation of the rotor 2|. The axis of rotation thus provided is central to the rotor 2|. On one side from the centerline of the rotor 15 2| a, plurality of vertical holes 23 are. provided extend .ng from top to' bottom, hence one side of the rotor 2| is heavier than the other side and. the center of gravity of the rotor 2| is to one y side of the axis of rotation of said rotor. 20

On the center of the top of the rotor 2| is a reduced neck 24 around which ts the lower end of a strong coil spring 26. The coil spring 26 is suitably anchored in the top of the rotor 2| such as by means of flat headed machine screw. `25 The spring 26 is bent upwardly toward the interior of the handle neck 6 and has its upper end anchored on the flanged end 2'I of the drive shaft connection 1 by means of a clamp plate 28 and a screvt4 29. The inside of the connecting 30 drive shaft 1 is provided with the usual keys for attachment to a suitable flexible drive shaft. The connection shaft I rotates in a bearing bushing 3| in said handle neck 6.

In operation a shoe I6 of suitable material for 35 the particular work is clamped over the bottom of the cushion For instance the device may be used for preparing a surface in all painting Work, by the use of different gradesof sand paper, abrasive' shoe, or the like, or it may be used with 40 shoes for sanding or surfacing wood, or metal or any material, such as stone in terrazzo work. Then a different shoe is used for finishing intermediate coats of paint, or for polishing final, lnished surfaces. 45

Then the operator places the device so that the shoe I6 rests on the surface to bc worked upon, and holds it down by hand with any desired pressure. 'I'hen the motive power, preferably'. an electric motor not shown, is turned on. Rotation is transmitted through the connection shaft I, and the spring 26 to the unbalanced rotor 2|. 'I'he rotor 2| is rotated at such high speed that it will cause a whipping or shifting of the rotor which the work is vibration or oscillation. The flexibility of the driving spring 26 allows the shifting of the axis of rotationof the rotor 2| but holds it at the same angle. Consequently the shifting of the axis of rotation describes substantially a circle or centroid around the initial center of the rotor 2 I, and the rotor 2| also continues to rotate uninterruptedly around its shifting axis. The moment of inertia ofthe heavier side of the rotor 2 I- exerts not only suillcient force to'oscillate the rotor 2 I, but it has enough force to pull the flexible pad I3` therewith and thereby pull the lower portion of the cushion II. Thecushion II yields near the bottom and is distorted laterally and angularly in all directions successively as the rotor 2I whips around and shifts its shaft I8 and pad I3 around. On account of the action of 'the cushion II the resulting oscillation of the pad I3 and the shoe I6 therewith is not merely linear, but also angular, so that each point of the shoe I6 describes substantially a circular contact movement on the working surface.

In the above mannerv intensive rubbing action is obtained without` excessive strain or reaction against the hand of the operator. The flexibility of the pad I3 and of the cushion I I in connection with the practically floating flexible drive of the rotor accomplishes a smooth circular motion ofthe shoe I6 and the handle 5-is merely guided by the operator over the surface upon done.

I claim:

1. A rubbing machine comprising a rotary member having its center of gravity offset to one side from its axis of rotation, a flexible member around and spaced from the periphery of said rotary member, holding means for the flexible member, means connected to the flexible member to rotatably support said rotary member, means to rotate said rotary member at such rateof speed as to distort said flexible member whereby each point of the bottom of the flexible member describes a substantial circle, and a rubbing element on the bottom of the exible member to be moved with the latter.

2. A rubbing machine comprising a rotary member having its center of gravity offset to one side from its axis of rotation, a flexible member around and spaced from the periphery of said rotary member, holding means for the flexible member, means connected to the flexible member to rotatably support said rotary member,

means to rotate said rotary member at such rate of speed as to distort said flexible member whereby each point of the bottom of the flexible member describes a substantial circle, and a rubbing element arranged on the bottom of the flexible member to Abe moved with the latter, said flexible member being substantially of the same height as that of said rotary member. n

3. A rubbing machine` comprising a rotary member having its center of gravity offset to one side from its axis of rotation, a flexible member around and spaced from the periphery of said rotary member, holding means for the flexible member, means connected to the flexible member to rotatably support said rotary member so thatthe axis of said rotary member substantially coincides with the center line of the flexible member when at rest, means to rotate said rotary member at such rate of speed as to distort said flexible member whereby each point of the bottom of the flexible member describes a substantial circle, and a rubbing element arranged on the bottom of the flexible member to be moved with the latter.

4. A rubbing machine comprising a rotary member having its center of gravity oilset to one side from its axis of rotation, a flexible member around and spaced from the periphery of said rotary member, holding means for the flexible member, means connected to the flexible member to rotatably support said rotary member, resiliently flexible means to rotate said rotary member at such rate of speed as to distort said flexible member whereby each point of the bottom of the flexible member describes a substantial circle, and a rubbing element arranged on the bottom of the flexible member to be moved with the latter.

5. A rubbing machine comprising a rotary member having its center of gravity offset to one side from its axis of rotation, a flexible member around and spaced from the periphery of said rotary member, holding means for the flexible member, means connected to the flexible member to rotatably support said rotary' member, means to rotate said rotary membertat such rate of speed as to distort said flexible member whereby each point of the bottom of the flexible member describes a substantial circle, and a rubbing element detachably secured to the bottom of the flexible member to be moved with the latter.

6. In a rubbing machine the combination with a hollow flexible member having a working surface thereon, .and means for holding said member so as to allow distortion of the portion of said member near said working surface, of a rotatable mass inside of said flexible member being so supported that said mass has angular and linear acceleration when rotated causing its center of rotation to shift so that the whole rotating mass rotates around a plurality of successive instantaneous centers on a centrode substantially described by the center of rotation of said mass, means of connection between the rotatable mass .and the flexible member so that the former when rotated distorts the latter so that each point of said working surface on the flexible member is moved in a rotary rubbing action, and means to impart rotary motion to said mass, said last means including a resiliently flexible drive member connected to saidrotatable mass.

7. In a machine' of the character described a casing, a hollow flexible body extended from the casing, means to hold a rubbing element on the extended portion of the body, a rotary vibrator in the cavity of said body adapted to shift its center of rotation as it rotates, means to rotate said vibrator, and means of connection between the vibrator and the flexible body to distort the body as the vibrator shifts its center of rotation so as to move its bottom relatively to its top witha rubbing motion.

8. In a machine of the character described, a holder, a resiliently compressible, vhollow body extended from the holder, a bottom on said body, a rotor journalled on said bottom and .being spaced from the inner periphery of said hollow body, a flexible driving connection extended to said rotor to impart rotary motion thereto, and means to cause said rotor to continuously change the location of its axis of' rotation and corresponding'ly shift the bottom of said body relatively to said casing when the rotor is rotated.

9. In a machine of the character described, a holder, a resiliently compressible, hollow body extended from the holder, a bottom on said body, a rotor journalled on said bottom and being spaced from the inner periphery of-said hollow body, a flexible driving connection extended to said rotor to impart rotary motion thereto, and

means to hold an overlying layer over the out-v side of the bottom of'said body.

10. In a device of the character described, a

casing, a rubber cushion extended from said casing, said cushion having a central cavity, a bottom on the cushion, a vibrating rotor in the cavity journalled on the bottom, and a exible drive connection in the casing to transmit rotation to said rotor.

11. In a device of the character described, a casing, a rubber cushion extended from said casving, said cushion having a central cavity, a bottom on the cushion, a vibrating rotor in the cav. ity journalled on the bottom, a flexible drive connection in the casing to transmit rotation to said rotor, and a flexible shoe detachably held on the outside of the bottom.

12. In a device of the character described, a

casing, a rubber cushion extended from said casing, said cushion having a central cavity, a bottom on the cushion, a vibrating rotor in the vcavity journalled on the bottom, and a flexible rotor being offset to one side of the axis of its rotation.

14. In a device of the character described, the

combination with a holder, a flexible member extended from the holder, ofl a rotor, said flexible member having a cavity therein, a wall of the cavity adjacent the working face ofthev flexible member being formed of a firmer iiexible material than that of the exible member, said rotor being journalled on said wall and being adapted to have its center gyrate as the rotor is rotated,

y so as to exert a gyrating force onsaid wall thereby to distort the lower portion of said exible member.

15. In a device of the character described the combination with a holder and a flexible cushion' extended from the holder, having a cavity within and coaxial with said cushion, of a flexible working face wall on said cushion adapted to cover an end of said cavity, a rotor journalled on said flexible wall coaxially with said cushion, said rotor being adapted to have its center of rotation gyrate around the initial, standstill position of said center as the rotor is rotated; and a exible drive connection to impart rotation to said rotor.

1 6. In a ldevice of the character described the combination with a flexible body having a working surface thereon, and a holder for said body; of a rotor inside said body being rotatedaround a floating axis, the center of mass of said rotor being to one side o`f its axis of rotation and means of connection between the rotor and the portion of the body adjacent said working surface to transmit the forces caused by the Yshifting oi.' said oatingaxis of rotation of said rotor to -said portion of the exible body to cause said working face to move relatively to said-ho1der.

EDWARD L. ToRRIsON. 

